Creamy Maize Meal Porridge

A creamy, comforting and wonderfully simple maize meal porridge recipe (also known as mealie meal porridge, mukapu wa mugayo and isidudu), this is a breakfast that has nourished generations across South Africa. Made with white mealie meal, water and a few everyday ingredients, it’s slow-cooked into a velvety, creamy porridge that’s delicious served with butter, brown sugar and milk, or topped with cooked cinnamon pears and a splash of cream. I’ll show you how to make soft maize meal porridge with the perfect texture, along with simple tips for cooking and serving this much-loved South African staple.

Few meals stay with us the way maize meal porridge does.

Long before I learnt recipes or measure ingredients, I learnt what this maize meal porridge bowl means. It appears before school on cold mornings, after long days when energy has disappeared, beside a bed when someone isn’t feeling well, and in tiny bowls as one of a baby’s very first foods. Before I understood care, I recognised how it felt.

That is what maize meal porridge has always been to me.

Whenever my body feels tired, when my stomach needs something gentle, or when the heaviness of that time of the month arrives, I find myself making this maize meal porridge again. A warm bowl of soft porridge with butter melting into the centre, a little brown sugar and fresh milk feels like returning to a place that has been waiting for me all along.

I imagine many South Africans know that feeling.

You spend years discovering new recipes, new cuisines and new ingredients, only to reach for the familiar bag of mealie meal in the cupboard. Water goes into the saucepan. The pot finds its place on the stove. White maize meal flour is added little by little. A wooden spoon moves through the mixture until it turns smooth and creamy. Without thinking, your hands repeat movements you watched your mother, grandmother, father or aunt make hundreds of times before.

No one sat us down to teach us.

We learned by watching.

Across Southern Africa, every family prepares maize meal porridge differently. One home cooks mielie meal with water alone, another adds milk for a richer breakfast. One family enjoys a soft, pourable porridge, another prefers it thick enough to hold its shape topped with peanut butter and sugar but for this recipe we’ve finished it with cooked cinnamon pears and a splash of milk.

Maize Meal, mugayo, mielie meal, in a yellow scoop.

What Is Maize Meal Porridge?

(Also known as Mealie meal porridge) is a traditional African dish made from finely ground white maize (cornmeal). Depending on the consistency, it can be a soft breakfast porridge or a stiff, solid mealie meal pap served with savoury dishes.

Across Africa, it carries different names:

In Zulu, uphuthu (stiff) or isidudu (soft and porridge-like).
In Sotho, motogo (for porridge).
In Ndebele and Shona (Zimbabwe), sadza.
In East Africa, ugali.
In Zambia and Malawi, nsima.

The names change from one community to another, but the story remains remarkably familiar. This is a meal that has nourished generations, welcomed babies to the family table, comforted people through illness and brought families together around breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Health Benefits of Maize Meal Porridge

Energy that actually carries you – Maize meal is a steady, complex-carb base; add milk or peanut butter and you’ve got longer-lasting fuel for busy mornings.
Naturally gluten-free – Maize meal porridge contains no wheat, barley, or rye, great for gluten-avoidant eaters (always check labels for cross-contact if you’re highly sensitive).
Satiating and kid-friendly – Creamy textures + warm toppings make it filling and easy to eat for little ones, elders, and anyone needing softer foods.
Budget-smart, pantry-stable – Widely available, affordable, and shelf-stable, ideal for weekly meal planning and food security at home.

One of the reasons I love this maize meal porridge recipe is how little it asks of you. With just a handful of everyday ingredients, you can make a creamy, comforting breakfast that has fed generations across Southern Africa.

Ingredients you’ll need to Maize meal porridge

White Mealie Meal (Maize Meal): The star of this recipe is white mealie meal, also known as white maize meal. Look for a finely ground variety labelled super, special or fine grind, as it cooks into a beautifully smooth, creamy porridge. A coarser mealie meal is better suited to making stiff pap rather than soft breakfast porridge.
Water: Water forms the base of the porridge.
Salt: A small amount of salt makes a surprising difference. It doesn’t make the porridge salty; it simply brings out the natural flavour of the maize.
Butter: a spoonful of butter stirred through the hot porridge adds richness and a silky finish. For a dairy-free option, peanut butter also works beautifully and adds a subtle nutty flavour.
Milk: Warm milk poured over the finished porridge is how many of us grew up eating it.
Keep it classic with brown sugar and butter, or make it your own with cinnamon, honey, fresh fruit or my favourite topping; soft cinnamon pears with a splash of cream.

Maize Meal porridge (mealie meal porridge) also known as isidudu, mukapu wa mugayo, mototo porridge

Faqs on Maize Meal (Mealie Meal) Porridge

Yes, South Africans use mealie/mielie meal and maize meal interchangeably for milled white maize used to make pap/porridge.

Maize (corn) is naturally gluten-free. If you’re very sensitive, check labels for possible cross-contact

Yes, use part milk (or plant milk, we have tested this recipe with

White maize (most popular locally). Yellow maize is good to use but tastes slightly different and looks deeper in colour

If you can’t find white, medium-to-coarse cornmeal. Yes, you can but keep in mind texture/flavour will differ (polenta/grits are milled), but it works.

Final thoughts on mealie meal porridge

Few recipes ask for so little and give so much in return.

A bag of mealie meal, a pot of water and a little patience are all it takes to make a breakfast that has comforted generations across South Africa. It reminds us that good food isn’t always complicated. More often than not, it’s the recipes we inherit, the ones we barely needed to write down, that stay with us the longest.

Whether this bowl brings back childhood memories or introduces you to maize meal porridge for the very first time, I hope it finds a place in your own kitchen and, one day, becomes a recipe someone remembers you for.

Did you make this recipe?

If you tried this recipe, be sure to rate it and leave a comment below! Save recipe for later!

How to Make Maize Meal Porridge

Recipe by Jane Nshuti

A creamy South African breakfast porridge made from finely ground white maize (aka mealie meal) finished with butter and warm milk for a velvety bowl.

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 30

Total Time 33

Course Breakfast

Cuisine South African

Servings 3 people

Ingredients

160 g Maize meal 1 cup (super/special, finely ground)
1 L Water 4 cups water or (3 cups water + 1 cup milk) (or soy milk)
½ tsp Salt
1 tbsp Butter or peanut butter for vegan/nutty finish
Milk and or a pat of butter or cinnamon, sugar/honey (optional)

Instructions

In a pot, bring 4 cups of water (or half water, half milk) to a boil. Add the salt.
Slowly sprinkle in the mealie meal while whisking continuously to avoid lumps or you can mix the meal meal with a little bit of cold water before adding it into the boiled water and continue to whiskey until it starts to bubble.
Reduce heat to very low heat, cover with a lid, and let it cook gently for 30–40 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Stir in butter and sugar (if using). Adjust thickness with a splash of milk if needed. Serve: Hot, with your favourite toppings.

Notes

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Traditional way: with a splash of milk + sugar.
Vegan way: plant milk + peanut butter for added protein
Rich & warm way: Butter + warm milk + cinnamon + a little sugar/honey
Savoury style: drizzle of butter + or grated cheese.
Modern way: Soft cinnamon pears with a splash of cream

Choose the right mealie meal: A finely ground white maize meal creates a much smoother texture than coarse mealie meal. If you’re buying it for breakfast porridge, look for “Super” or “Special” on the packet.

Cook it slowly: Once the porridge comes to the boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid and allow it to simmer gently. Slow cooking gives the maize time to soften completely and creates the best creamy texture.

Adjust the consistency: If your porridge becomes too thick, simply stir in a splash of warm milk or hot water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
To Reheat: The porridge will become much thicker once chilled. Add a splash of milk or water before reheating gently on the stove or in the microwave, stirring until smooth and creamy again.
Serve immediately: Maize meal porridge thickens as it cools, so it’s always at its best served hot.

To Store: Allow the porridge to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Keyword african porridge, How to make maize meal porridge, isidudu, Maize meal porridge, mealie meal porridge, mealie pap porridge, motogo porridge, Mukapu wa mugayo, south african breakfast